39clues2December 2: The 39 Clues 2: One False Note by Gordon Korman
Maze of Bones, the first book in the series, introduced Amy and Dan Cahill, siblings who embark on a quest around the world to discover the amazing secret to their family’s power (please tell me it’s not love or the philosopher’s stone…). Anyway, Rick Riordan (author of the super awesome Percy Jackson series) rocked the first book, and the online game was pretty fun (until I got bored and gave up). Let’s just hope this second in the series lives up to the first…and moves beyond the massive marketing hype.

bardDecember 4, 2008: Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
If you’re like me, the postponement of the Half-Blood Prince movie was like the Grinch stealing Christmas (or Kwanzaa, or Chinese New Year, or just some really awesome holiday with lots of candy). The release of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is at least one small consolation in my overwhelming mire of disappointment at having to wait for the movie (by the way, I saw Twilight last night, and the Harry Potter trailer at the beginning was the best part of the movie). Originally produced in a limited run of seven copies (all handwritten and illustrated by Rowling), the book is finally being mass produced to the delight of Potter fans worldwide. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Tales is the book given to Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore. In the book, Hermione finds clues that help her (and those other guys) discover the meaning of the hallows. So, it’s kind of like we’re going to be able to read a book that Hermione actually read, except for real, only it won’t be exactly the same…but still awesome!